LAS CRUCES >> Eric Cordero used to be a certified nurse assistant, but he found himself on the unemployment line and began to look for more work. He found himself working for BurgerTime restaurants in a part-time position. Cordero, 26, said he is glad to be employed, but might like to be a CNA again.

Isaac Lara works part-time along with Cordero. He's pleased with his position.

"I like the schedule. I'm happy with a part-time job," the 25-year-old said. "I have a daughter to watch. They work with your schedule here."

The U.S. Department of Labor recently reported that the number of people working part-time in the U.S. grew 4 1/2 times as fast as the number of full-time workers. The share of all workers who mainly hold part-time jobs is at levels not seen since the early 1980s, The Associated Press reports.

The DOL statistics show that the number of part-time workers declined some from July to August but still stands at nearly 8 million involuntary part-time employees -- those who wish to be working full-time. That's almost twice as many as there were in 2006, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

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Chris Erickson, who teaches economics at New Mexico State University, said that not everyone wants full-time work. In fact, he said that more people might choose part-time work for a variety of reasons.

"Most people who work part time do so because they want to for lifestyle reasons," Erickson said. "The trends that have caused people to select part-time employment are likely to increase going forward. Among these factors are school, family responsibilities, health concerns as the workforce ages with the Baby Boomers, and a desire for leisure time."

Christina Melendrez Castillo said on the Sun-News Facebook page that she chooses not to work full-time.

"My place of work only hires part-time and seasonal people," she said. "It works well for me since I am a full-time college student."

In New Mexico, the most recent numbers that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that include part-time workers is from 2012. The BLS stats show that nearly three times as many people who work part-time jobs do so for noneconomic reasons. About 138,000 part-time workers fall into that category, while there are 45,000 involuntary part-time workers.

Erickson pointed out the decrease from July to August across the nation of involuntary part-time workers.

"Part-time employees for economic reasons -- those who would prefer to work full time but had their hours cut or couldn't find a full-time job -- decreased in August compared to both July and compared to August 2012," he said.

Sherri Rials with job-placement company Manpower Inc. in Las Cruces, said that she has not seen an overwhelming call for part-time workers. Some full- and part-time positions are being eliminated.

"We usually have a lot of part-time work in the summer, but we didn't see too much of it this year," Rials said. "Companies are doing more with less and the same goes for employees as they are expected to pick up that slack.

"An example of the part-time positions that we have open include catering events and traditional part-time office work," she said.

Katrina Garcia, though, is looking for work and having trouble.

"I've applied to many places and still nothing," she said.

Kari Bethany is in the same position.

"I can't find full-time or part-time work," she said. "I've been putting applications out there but yet nothing."